The order was given by a bench headed by Justice P V Hardas which heared a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former journalist Ketan Tirodkar asking for probe by central agencies into alleged nexus of cricket players with bookies.

The petitioner prayed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) be directed to register a case of cheating against players and bookies who had allegedly developed nexus with vested interests for "fixing matches or promoting betting in IPL matches".

The PIL alleged that offences had been committed in the context of match fixing during IPL 2013 and also urged a direction to ED, IT as well as Mumbai police and Delhi police to co-operate with the CBI which should take up the role of co-ordinating these investigations.

The petitioner said that on a request by the central government, the CBI had earlier conducted a preliminary inquiry into the alleged nexus of players with bookies. This report should culminate in the filing of an FIR if offences had been committed. However, this had not been done, the PIL said.

When the IPL scam broke this year, some bookies' names had cropped up during investigations conducted separately by Delhi police and Mumbai police, the PIL said, adding that a central and independent agency like the CBI must be directed to probe the alleged crikect match fixing and betting.